Author's Note: I don't actually know Welsh. If you do and you see a mistake, please let me know. I don't really trust Google Translate. Also, I changed Chris's age from fifteen to fourteen after looking back at my older stories. I had them celebrating his birthday in December, so he wouldn't be fifteen quite yet.
Welsh - English glossary
Plentyn annwyl - dear child
Iorwerth - Edward
Dwi'n dy garu di, fachgen annwyl - I love you, dear boy
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Sarah Kate awoke to JoAnne shaking her by the shoulder. "Hey, honey. It's time to get ready for school."
"Five more minutes? Please? I can get ready fast." Sarah Kate was nervous. She missed her teacher and friends in Seattle. She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to them. Now she had to go to a new school and meet new kids and a new teacher.
"Sorry, honey, but you need to get ready now. Johnny is coming by to get Roy for work, and he's driving you to school." JoAnne sat next to her on the bed. "Hey, I know you're probably nervous, but there are some great kids at this school, and at least a few of them are ready to be your friends. They're kids from the neighborhood and they're excited about meeting you. Mrs. Wright is a popular teacher, too. I think you'll like her."
Sarah Kate sighed and sat up. "OK."
"It's going to be a warm day. You can choose from the clothes you brought with you, or there are hand me downs from Megan in the dresser." Jo stood up and went to the door. "Roy is making pancakes to celebrate your first day of school. We're eating in fifteen minutes."
Sarah Kate got out of bed, chose a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the dresser, grabbed her toothbrush and hairbrush out of her backpack, and went into the bathroom. She cleaned up, then got dressed. She folded her pajamas and took them back to her bedroom. She put the pajamas under the pillow, then made her bed. She liked keeping her room tidy.
She took all the clothes out of her backpack and put them in the dresser. Then she put the school supplies JoAnne had bought for her in the backpack. She also grabbed the Chronicles of Narnia book she'd been reading. Hopefully there would be silent reading time at school.
Just in time for breakfast, she trotted into the kitchen. Roy was carrying a heaping plate of pancakes to the table. D.J. was helping JoAnne set out the plates and silverware. "Can I help with anything?"
"Sure, honey," JoAnne said. "The pantry is over there — find the maple syrup and put it on the table. Then you can get the butter from the fridge."
"OK." Sarah Kate took care of those tasks and then sat down at the table. D.J. finished putting out the knives and forks, then sat down next to her. "I wish I could go to your school."
She put an arm around his shoulders. "We'll hang out after school," she promised him. "We can play with Callie."
D.J. grinned. "We'll have fun!" He patted her arm. "You're awesome and cool, Sarah Kate. I'm glad we're friends."
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Johnny arrived early enough to enjoy some pancakes himself. "I had a feeling there would be something special this morning." He grabbed a plate and settled in at the table, across from Sarah Kate. "How was your first night, Sprout?"
"Good. There are lots of books on my bookshelf, and I'm going to read them all!" The girl grinned. "I like to read."
"All right, then." Johnny winked at her. "Tell me when your birthday is. Maybe we can add some more books to what you've already got."
"December third."
"We'll be sure to have a great birthday party for you. You'll be ten, right?" Johnny squeezed some maple syrup on his pancakes, then took a bite. "Roy, these are delicious!"
Sarah Kate nodded. "Double digits."
Johnny ate quickly. "We should get going. Do you want me and Roy to walk you into school?"
She shook her head. "No. I'll go to the office, and they'll tell me where to go."
On the way out to Johnny's Rover, he nudged Roy. "Hey, you've got to start driving again. I've got a friend who could make some modifications to your Porsche so you can manage it."
Roy blanched. "I don't know. The idea of it makes me nervous." He climbed in the passenger side of the Rover. "This is easier."
Johnny got in on the driver's side. "It may be hard, but it's worth it. Wouldn't you like to get in that Porsche and drive along the Coastal Highway? Or you could bring the kids up to the ranch to visit me. And you could drive up and ride Miel anytime you like."
Sarah Kate piped up from the back seat. "Who's Miel?"
"That's Roy's horse," Johnny said. "C'mon, pal. You learned to ride with one leg. It was tricky at first, but you got the hang of it and now you're practically an expert. Same thing would happen with driving."
Roy sighed. "I'll think about it." He held up his right hand. "Have to wait till this cast is off, though."
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Sitting in the backseat, Sarah Kate wondered how Roy had lost his leg. She wasn't sure she should ask, though. Maybe Uncle Johnny would tell her when Roy wasn't around.
"Sarah Kate," Roy said as Uncle Johnny pulled up in front of the school building. "After school, you can meet Nita at the front doors. She'll walk you home with Chris and Megan."
"OK!" She opened her door and jumped down to the ground. Megan did the same on her side. Megan headed for the junior high school next door, and Sarah Kate went to the elementary school. Sarah Kate appreciated that Johnny and Roy trusted her to go in without them. She had learned to take care of herself while she was alone at the hotel, and she didn't want to give that up entirely. She had paid attention on the drive, and she thought she knew the way back to the DeSoto house. Maybe they would let her walk it alone if she showed them she knew it.
She went to the office and gave them her name. The secretary offered to walk her to her classroom. Sarah Kate followed her down the hall and into the room. "Mrs. Wright, this is your new student, Sarah Kate DiAngelo."
Sarah Kate was grateful JoAnne had registered her under her real name and not the name Benedict.
"Welcome, Sarah Kate!" the teacher said. "You can sit here." She pointed to a desk in the front row. "Today I'll be testing your reading level and your math skills."
Sarah Kate nodded.
"Class, can you say hello to Sarah Kate?"
"Hello," the other students chorused.
The girl next to Sarah Kate had blonde hair and wore it in braids. She was wearing a purple and green, which were Sarah Kate's favorite colors. "Hi!" she said. "I'm Michelle. You can sit with me at lunch if you want to."
Sarah Kate smiled at her. "Sure. Thanks."
It was a good day. Mrs. Wright tested Sarah Kate's reading level and math skills. In reading she tested at the sixth-grade level. Math was harder for her. She was right at the fourth grade level for that. At least she was placed in the accelerated reading group. Michelle was in that group too.
Michelle was friends with everyone, it seemed. She insisted that Sarah Kate sit next to her at lunch. "You're going to be one of my best friends," Michelle said. "You like reading just like I do. And maybe you can come play at my house sometimes. I live just down the street from the DeSotos. I was really excited when Mrs. DeSoto told me you were going to live with them for a while."
When the bell rang at three o'clock for the end of the school day, Sarah Kate was surprised. She felt like hardly any time had passed. She liked her teacher. She liked her classmates. She liked that they were reading A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle. She'd read it before, but good books were always worth reading again. She would also enjoy talking about it with the other kids in the reading group.
She packed up her backpack with her books and homework, said goodbye to Michelle, then walked to the front doors to meet Nita, Megan, and Chris.
When she saw Nita, she gave her a hug. Just a few weeks ago, she had watched jealously as the little kids came out of school and hugged their mommies or daddies. Nita wasn't Sarah Kate's mom but cared about her. Sarah Kate liked that feeling. She was pretty sure that Nita would care about her even if she hadn't helped them figure out who took JoJo.
"Where are JoJo and Jamie?" Sarah Kate asked. She was walking fast to stay ahead of Chris and Megan.
Nita smiled. "They're with Papi Tex and Grandma Winnie. JoJo has only wanted her Papi Tex today. I think she also wanted cookies."
"I think I know how to get back," Sarah Kate said. "Maybe I can walk myself home from now on?"
Nita frowned. "You would have to talk with Roy and JoAnne about that. I think it's better if you have Chris or me with you. There are many dangers in this city."
Sarah Kate grimaced. She would talk with Roy later today. Maybe he would understand that she could manage on her own. The walk home didn't take more than about fifteen minutes.
While Nita went to Grandma Winnie's to get the twins, Sarah Kate ran inside and went to her room. She would do her homework now so she could play when D.J. got home. She had to read three chapters of A Wrinkle in Time and answer several questions on the third chapter. She also had a science worksheet and a math worksheet. The math took the longest. D.J. got home before she was finished, but she figured she could take a break.
She came out of the bedroom and gave her foster brother a hug. "How was your day?"
D.J. grinned. "Good! I like school."
"How about you, Sarah Kate?" JoAnne asked. "Was it a good day?"
She nodded. "I liked it. Michelle wants me to be one of her best friends and we're reading A Wrinkle in Time, which is one of my favorite books. I'm better at reading than math, but that's OK. I want to be a writer when I grow up, and my daddy always said reading a lot is the best way to become a good writer. I've done all but my math homework. Can I hang out with D.J. and finish later?"
"Sure," JoAnne said. "I think Grandma Winnie hoped you would visit her today."
Sarah Kate grabbed D.J.'s hand. "Want to go see her now?"
The boy beamed. "Sure! Cookies and milk for a snack!"
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Peter Wentworth had spent the last half hour on the phone with Estelle Hawkins, who was taking over his law firm. "We need to look into whether the driver who forced Marcus and Irene off the road has any connection to Peter Benedict or Joey Allegro." He was quiet for a moment. "Benedict knew Marcus had died. We took pains to keep that news out of the press. The only way he could know is if he was involved. Can you look into it for me? I think he put out a hit on Marcus to keep him from testifying."
He sighed. "Yes, I know. But a witness provided the car's license plate number. It was probably a rental, but the rental company could give you a name. I'm sure they already gave that information to the police." He started coughing. Once a coughing fit hit him, he couldn't talk anymore. He managed a strangled, "Talk with you later. Bye," and hung up.
Still coughing, Peter sat down in the living room. Liza was playing there with some of JoJo's toys. She put the dolly down and ran over to her grandfather. She patted on his hand, then climbed into his lap.
Peter held her close. He needed to see this through. "Please, God, let me stick around long enough to make sure Sarah Kate and Liza are in a safe place."
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Eddie Bowen pounded on Peter Benedict's front door. Mrs. Benedict answered. "Ma'am, we have a warrant to search your property." He presented the official documentation. "If you would please step outside."
Judy Benedict stared at him, her eyes wide, her mouth gaping. "What is this about, Officer?"
"Just step outside, ma'am. Is anyone else in the home?" After she shook her head no, Bowen sent the five officers who had come with him through the door. He stayed outside to talk with Mrs. Benedict.
"Ma'am, while they're inside searching, I need to ask you some questions." He paused for a moment and rubbed at his neck. The Benedicts were an important family in the Bakersfield area. Falling foul of them if he couldn't prove his suspicions would not be good for his career. "Do you know of anyone who might have a motive for killing your father-in-law?"
She shook her head. "No, I can't think of anyone. He was well-liked by everybody."
Clearly not everybody. Bowen kept that thought to himself. "Ma'am, what sort of cars do you and your husband drive?"
"I drive a Volvo station wagon. Peter drives a Chevy pickup truck."
"What color is his pickup?" Bowen asked.
"It's black. But he drove my car to work today."
"He went to work the day after his father was killed?" Bowen shook his head in disbelief. "All right, I'm going to step inside now and see how the search is going. You stay out here." He walked past her and through the front door. Everything about the place screamed money. The furniture was luxurious and Bowen was pretty sure that the Van Gogh on the family room wall was an original.
They were looking for the murder weapon or anything else that might connect Benedict to the murder of his father. Bowen doubted they would find anything here, but they still had to look. He assigned each of the men to a part of the house and they got started.
The only thing that might link Benedict to the murder was the black pickup truck, which was parked in the garage. Bowen wished the neighbor had gotten a license plate. "We'll get out of your hair now, Mrs. Benedict," he said as they all left the house. "You have a nice day."
She frowned at him, but didn't say anything as she went back inside.
Bowen drove back to HQ. The other officers went to John Benedict's house. They were going to canvas the neighborhood and find out whether there were any other witnesses. They were also going to search the area for the murder weapon.
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Eddie Bowen looked over the reports from Arden and Morris. They had talked with a number of people in John Benedict's neighborhood. The woman across the street reported seeing Peter Benedict enter the house about eight thirty in the evening. She wasn't sure when he left, though.
"Nolan, we need to talk with Benedict. I hate to say it, but I think he looks good for this." Bowen put his notes on Nolan's desk. "Let's head over to his office."
Benedict's boss offered them the use of a conference room for the interview.
Bowen started the interview. "I'm surprised to see you here today, Mr. Benedict. After all, your father died yesterday. Most people would take the day off."
Benedict shrugged. "My clients need me. I had to appear in court this morning and I have another court date tomorrow. There's no time for one of my colleagues to take over those cases."
Bowen nodded. "I get it. Really, I do. Who has time to grieve these days?"
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Peter Benedict glared at the two officers seated across the table from him. They were the same two who had come to tell him his father was dead. As if he didn't already know. Dad's eyes when he realized what was about to happen to him at the hands of his son had made Peter laugh. He'd awakened the man out of a dead sleep just so that he would know what was coming.
He had to get through this questioning without raising further suspicion. "Why exactly are you here?"
"We just want to interview you about your father," Officer Bowen said. "Can you tell us whether he had any enemies?"
Peter took pains to keep eye contact with them. He hadn't done well with that the previous day when trying to appear the grieving son. "Not that I can think of, no. But he is known throughout the city as a wealthy man. I figured it was just a robbery that went bad."
"Where were you last night at nine o'clock?" Officer Nolan asked.
"Why are you asking me that?" Peter raised his eyebrows. "Am I a person of interest?"
"At this point," Bowen said flatly, "everyone is a person of interest. Now, answer the question."
"I stayed late at my office, preparing for a court date this morning."
"Is there anyone who can corroborate that?" Bowen said.
"No. I was there alone." He raised his hands. "Not everyone in my firm has my level of dedication to the job."
"Mr. Benedict, a witness from your father's neighborhood saw you entering your father's house around eight thirty yesterday evening. Can you explain that?"
Peter held up his hands and attempted a bewildered expression. "Maybe they saw wrong? I swear I was at the office." His voice went up in pitch and his eyes darted away from Officer Bowen briefly.
Nolan cleared his throat. "It has come to our attention that your parents cut you out of their will. They named your niece Sarah Kate DiAngelo as their heir. Did this cause strife between you and your father?"
Peter narrowed his eyes. "It's Sarah Kate Benedict. She's my daughter now. And no, it was not a cause of strife. It was simply their way of expressing disapproval of my clients."
Bowen nodded his head but didn't say anything more. "You may go now. But don't leave town. We might need to talk with you again."
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Joey Allegro summoned Ricardo Tucci, Alberto Alino, Sandro Conti, and Giovanni Pirelli to the back room of Allegro Pizza. It was a good place to conduct business, private and quiet.
"Tell them what you told me," Allegro said to Peter Benedict.
"I need you to bring my daughter, Sarah Kate, back here from Carson, California. She's living with the DeSoto family." He handed Tucci two pieces of paper. "Here's their address and a photo of her. Her foster parents will be keeping careful watch over her, so I think it's best if you grab her on the way home from school."
"You want we should do this today?" Tucci asked, checking his watch. "I don't know as we can get to Carson in time for school to let out."
"Tomorrow is soon enough," Joey said. "You'll bring her to me. We have to hide her for a while."
"Yessir, boss," Tucci said. "We'll get her tomorrow afternoon."
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The following day dawned bright and clear. Sarah Kate got up early so she could read for a while before getting ready for school. It was Friday, and Michelle was going to spend the night. They were going to have lots of fun. Uncle Roy said he would make pizza for supper. Michelle's parents didn't let her go over to many friends' houses, but they trusted Roy and JoAnne.
At the end of the day, Michelle said she would come over as soon as she finished her chores. Her mom was giving her a ride home. Sarah Kate met Nita, Chris, and Megan in front of the school and they started the walk home together.
About halfway home, a white van pulled up to the curb next to them. Four big men jumped out and moved in front of them. One of them grabbed Nita and pushed her to the ground. Sarah Kate knew she was hurt because she shrieked. She started to get up, but one of the men pointed a gun at her. Megan went to her knees beside Nita and held her hand. She was crying. Sarah Kate screamed for help.
The biggest man grabbed Sarah Kate, pressed his hand over her mouth, and carried her to the van. To Sarah Kate's great surprise, Chris ran after them. He started punching the man. "Let her go!" he shouted. The other two men grabbed Chris and threw him hard on the ground. Sarah Kate saw that Chris hit his head hard on the sidewalk. Her eyes filled with tears. He fought for me! He tried to save me! Uncle Johnny was right — Chris was nothing like Michael Benedict.
She was terrified and didn't know what she should do, but she decided to fight. She bit the man's hand so he let go of her mouth and then she shrieked for help. He cursed. Nobody came to rescue her, though.
The man threw her into the van and slammed the sliding side door shut. It was a van without any windows. There was a wall between the back and the front, so she couldn't even see out that way. She hated being stuck in the dark. She felt the van speeding away. Soon the vehicle stopped. The sliding door opened. They were in a deserted alleyway. The big man pulled her out of the van. She dug her fingernails into his arm and scratched him. He twisted her arm and threw her in the trunk of the car.
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Megan was crying, but she had memorized the license plate of the van. Nita was sitting up now and holding her arm like it was hurt. She was bleeding and had tears on her cheeks. Chris was lying on the ground unconscious. Megan wasn't sure what to do. She just started screaming. "Help! Someone, please help!"
Finally an old lady came out of the house across the street. She was balancing on a cane. She stopped short when she saw Chris on the ground. "I'll call the police!" Then she went back in the house.
It wasn't long before Megan heard sirens. A police car drove up and parked at the curb. Megan knew Vince Howard, but she didn't know his partner. She ran into Vince's arms. "Four men took my foster sister, Sarah Kate! They pushed Nita and pointed a gun at her and she's hurt and they knocked Chris down."
Vince hugged her. "We'll take good care of them. I'm going to call the paramedics. Can you describe the men?"
Megan nodded. "Two of them." Her dad had taught her to pay careful attention to things. She could describe the one who hurt Nita and the one who grabbed Sarah Kate. She hadn't gotten a good look at the other two.
"Can you get my dad here?" She rubbed her arm across her eyes.
Vince handed her a handkerchief. "Honey, he's at Rampart. I'll take you there."
Soon the paramedic squad from Station 51 arrived. Alex Bowman stepped out of the driver's seat. "Hey, Megan." He put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Are you hurt?"
"No. Just Nita and Chris."
"OK. Everything is going to be all right, Megan." He moved to Chris's side while his partner went to Nita.
Megan talked with Vince. She told him the license plate of the van and described the two men.
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Johnny had just started his lecture when Dixie came in. She was wringing her hands like she was worried about something. He stopped the lecture and spoke to her. "What's wrong, Dix?"
"You need to dismiss the class."
Her voice sounded strained and tense. Something was wrong. "You heard her, class. You're dismissed. We'll see you tomorrow."
When they were all gone, Dixie explained the call she'd gotten. "Vince says that some men grabbed Sarah Kate. They pushed Nita to the ground and pointed a gun at her. She has a broken arm. Chris tried stopping the man who was carrying Sarah Kate and he got tossed to the ground. Bowman says he's unconscious."
"Where are they?" Roy asked.
"They're on the way here," Dixie said. "Vince is bringing Megan. Apparently she memorized the license plate of the van they stuck Sarah Kate in, and she described two of the men."
Johnny outpaced Roy on the way to the elevator, but waited for him before going down. He felt torn. He needed to look for Sarah Kate. He needed to be there for Nita. The twins were in the nursery at Rampart today. At least they were safe. Thankfully, JoJo had bounced back quickly, and was doing well with people who were familiar to her.
They got to the ER doors just as Vince walked in with Megan. She flew to her father. "Daddy, it was awful! They took Sarah Kate!"
"Roy," Vince said, "We'd like to have Megan sit down with a sketch artist. She described two of the men — the one who pushed Nita and the one who grabbed Sarah Kate."
Roy nodded, but his eyes were on the ambulance that was just pulling in. 51's squad came in right behind it. Chris was the first one pulled off the ambulance. He was unconscious. His head was bleeding. Roy went straight to his side. Dixie told the orderlies to take him into Exam One. Roy and Megan followed them.
Nita was brought out next. Her left arm was in a splint. "Johnny," she said as he came up to her. "You have to go find her!"
Johnny nodded. "I know. But first I need to know that you and the baby are OK."
Dr. Brackett came over to them and spoke to the orderlies pushing the gurney. "Exam Three is available."
"Doctor," Nita said, "I'm pregnant. Please make sure the baby is OK."
Brackett nodded. "Tell me the name of your obstetrician."
"Dr. Alanna Miller."
"We'll call her in." Dr. Brackett asked Dixie to contact her, then followed Nita into the exam room. Johnny did too. He wasn't about to let his wife out of his sight.
"Will an x-ray hurt the baby, Doc?" Johnny felt like a rock had settled in the pit of his stomach. Worry for Nita, for the baby, for Sarah Kate, was eating him up.
"An x-ray of her arm won't expose the baby to any radiation," Brackett said. He put a hand on Johnny's back. "She's going to be all right."
"Johnny," Nita said, "do you think it was Benedict who took Sarah Kate?"
Johnny took hold of her good hand. "Probably." He shuddered. "I can't imagine what she must be feeling right now."
"I should have stopped them." Nita blinked back tears.
Johnny stroked her hair. "Honey, you did the only thing you could. Megan said they pointed a gun at you."
Eric, the x-ray technician arrived. Dr. Brackett told him what images he needed, then he and Johnny stepped into the hall.
"Tell me about Sarah Kate," Brackett said.
"She's a really special little girl, Doc. If we had the means, I'd be ready to adopt her." Johnny realized that Dr. Brackett didn't know what had happened to them in Seattle. They'd been written about in the Washington papers, but California newspapers hadn't gotten hold of the story. He told Brackett everything.
Dr. Miller arrived just as he finished the story. Brackett introduced her to Johnny. Johnny shook her hand. "Hi, Dr. Miller. I'm glad you're Nita's doctor this time around. I've heard good things about you."
"I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Gage."
Eric came out of the exam room. "All done. I'll have these images for you in about fifteen minutes, Dr. Brackett."
Johnny hurried back into the room.
Dr. Miller came in too. "Mr. and Mrs. Gage, I'm going to listen to the baby's heartbeat today," she said. She looked at Brackett. "Could I get a Doppler?"
"Sure thing," Brackett said.
About ten minutes later, Dr. Miller showed Nita a device. "This is a Doppler. It's an ultrasound device that will pick up your baby's heartbeat. Let's listen." She rubbed some gel on Nita's abdomen and then held the Doppler in place. A moment later, they heard the heartbeat. Johnny listened in awe. He hadn't had this opportunity with the twins. He reached for Nita's hand.
"That sounds really good," Dr. Miller said. "Mrs. Gage, I want you to come into my office next week. We'll do a visual ultrasound then. Mr. Gage, you're welcome to join her."
Nita squeezed Johnny's hand. "Nashoba, go find Sarah Kate. Please."
Johnny nodded. He was reassured now that he'd heard the baby's heartbeat. "I'll go now. I need to check on Chris first, though."
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Roy sat beside his son. Megan was in the next exam room with Vince, working with the sketch artist. JoAnne would be home any minute now and she would wonder where the kids were. Chris hadn't stirred. Dr. Early had stitched the wound on the side of his head. A skull series had ruled out a skull fracture. He should be awake by now.
Roy got up and stepped into the hall. Dixie was at the nurse's station. "Dix," he said, "could you call JoAnne? Someone needs to let her know what happened."
"Sure, Roy."
Roy went back to the exam room. He sat beside Chris and took his hand. "Hey, buddy. Time to wake up."
Nothing. Roy sighed. "You know, you make me proud every day. The fact that you fought for Sarah Kate, that makes me even prouder. You are a kind and caring young man. I love you, Chris."
Chris didn't respond. Roy leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and prayed. He wasn't as comfortable with prayer as JoAnne was, but he'd come to believe that God really was listening. "Bring him back to us, God, please."
About twenty minutes later, JoAnne came in. She kissed Chris on the forehead, then came around and wrapped her arms around Roy. "D.J. is with Grandma Winnie. You should go look for Sarah Kate. I called Edna Richards before coming here and let her know what happened."
Johnny knocked, then came in. "How's he doing?"
Roy frowned. "No skull fracture, but he's not waking up."
"Damn." Johnny rubbed at the back of his neck. "I need to go look for Sarah Kate. Do you have the photo from her file? I was going to see if Hank and Mike and Marco and Chet would go with me. They need to know what she looks like."
JoAnne reached in her purse. "I have it here. I thought the police would want it." She handed the photo to Johnny. "Roy, you should go too."
Roy closed his eyes. "Don't ask me to go anywhere. Not with Chris lying there —"
Johnny ducked his head. "It's OK, Roy. I figured you would want to stay with Chris."
Roy nodded. "Sorry, Junior. I should've asked. How's Nita? How's the baby?"
"Nita has a broken arm. We heard the baby's heartbeat. It's going strong. The obstetrician thinks everything's OK."
"Thank God," JoAnne said. She hugged Johnny. "Go find our girl!"
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Hank, Chet, Mike, and Marco met Johnny at Rampart. They would sit down and talk with Vince before going anywhere. The officer came out of Exam Two with Megan and another man. Megan ran to Johnny and hugged him. "Is Aunt Nita OK?"
Johnny kissed the girl on the top of the head. At twelve years old, she thought she was all grown up, but she was still just a kid. "Yeah, she'll be fine. The baby's OK too. Your mom and dad are with Chris."
"You're going to look for Sarah Kate, right?" Megan blinked back tears. "You gotta be careful, Uncle Johnny — they're big and really mean."
"Listen, you just be praying for us and for Sarah Kate." Johnny hugged his niece, then stood up straight. "Your folks are waiting for you, honey." He watched Megan as she went in Exam One, then turned to Vince. "Have you heard anything?"
Vince's eyes darkened. "They found the van abandoned in an alley a few blocks from where they took the little girl."
"I have a photo of her." Johnny handed it to Vince. "I think her uncle sent some thugs to take her. He lives in Bakersfield. He's a lawyer and Sarah Kate says he represents a member of the mob."
Vince nodded. "I'll make copies of this and distribute it. I guess you're planning to search for her."
"We have to," said Johnny. "She helped us when JoJo was kidnapped in Seattle. Now it's our turn to help her."
Vince gestured to his colleague. "Jason, show them the sketches you just made. These are the two men Megan was able to describe."
Johnny committed the images to memory. "Thanks, Vince. I appreciate it. If you could let the Bakersfield police know what's going on, that would be great."
"I will. You report to them before you do anything else, you hear?"
Johnny nodded. "Thanks, Vince." He turned to his friends. "Let's go."
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It was hot in the trunk of the car. Hot, smelly, and uncomfortable, even with her backpack for a pillow. Sarah Kate's arm hurt a lot.
She wasn't sure how long they drove. It felt like a long time. Finally the car stopped and she heard the men getting out. She heard a key turn and then the trunk opened. They were parked in another alleyway. The sun was setting and the sky was starting to get dark.
"Careful. She bites and she's got nails," said the man who had grabbed her. She noted with satisfaction that he had a bandage on his hand. She must have drawn blood when she bit him.
Another man put a gag in her mouth and tied it behind her head, then grabbed her out of the car. She struggled and tried to get away, but he was too strong. He carried her in the back door of a building and put her on a cot. While he held her in place, another man strapped her down so she couldn't get away. He locked the door to the outside and slipped the key in his pocket. It was one of those doorknobs that couldn't be unlocked without a key.
"Get Allegro," he said. "He wanted to see her."
Sarah Kate trembled. She knew all about Joey Allegro from her dad. He was a killer. Was he going to hurt her? She pulled at the straps that held her in place, but they were too tight. She couldn't get free of them.
She heard a door creaking open and then a man came in. He was smaller than the men who had taken her. His head was bald and he was a little bit overweight. He sat down and stared at her. "Sarah Kate Benedict."
Sarah Kate glared at him. She couldn't correct the name with the gag in her mouth, but she made sure he knew she didn't like it.
"You're going to stay here for a while, young lady," Allegro said. "Your parents miss you. They want you home with them."
Sarah Kate turned her head. She refused to look him in the eyes.
"I have some news for you," Allegro said. "Your grandfather died a couple nights ago."
Tears filled Sarah Kate's eyes. She loved her grandfather. He couldn't take care of her, but he had always been good to her. He couldn't be gone. He couldn't! The tears dripped down her face. She couldn't even wipe them away.
Allegro walked towards the door. He stepped out, leaving Sarah Kate alone.
God, she prayed silently. Grandma had told her that God could hear her anywhere, even when she just prayed in her thoughts. Please send someone to help me. I want to go back to Carson. And please, God, let Nita and Chris be OK.
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When the door opened again, the air filled with the fragrance of flowers mixed with the smell of pizza. Sarah Kate's stomach growled. She didn't know how late it was, but she was pretty sure she'd missed dinner.
An old woman came walking over to her cot. She looked like she stepped out of a history book. She knelt down next to Sarah Kate. "I've brought you supper, plentyn annwyl," she said. Her voice sounded young, like Melissa's. It didn't warble like Grandma's had. She talked different, too, but she didn't sound like Anna. She sounded English.
She removed the gag from Sarah Kate's mouth and fed her bites of pizza. "Sarah Kate, luv, I'm going to bring someone to get you out of here, but first I want to give you something." She pressed a flower petal into Sarah Kate's hand. "Hawthorn, for hope and protection. Don't give up hope, luv. People who care about you are looking for you. And you are never alone." She kissed Sarah Kate on the forehead. "Someone will be here soon to help you. It is important they find you here."
And then she was gone. Sarah Kate didn't see her go. She simply vanished. If it weren't for the flower in her hand and the full feeling in her tummy and the lingering scent of lilacs in the air, Sarah Kate would have thought she had imagined the encounter.
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Eddie Bowen and Mick Nolan sat across from Peter Benedict in an interrogation room at the police department. "What do you know about the kidnapping of Sarah Kate DiAngelo?"
Benedict wrinkled his forehead and shrugged up a shoulder. "Nothing, I swear it! And her name is Sarah Kate Benedict."
He was avoiding eye contact again. Eddie was certain he was lying. "Let's leave him here awhile," he said to Nolan.
The two officers left the interrogation room. They sat down in the room outside. Bowen pulled two pictures out of his pocket. They had been faxed over from the Los Angeles police. "That's Sandro Conti, and the other one is definitely Ricardo Tucci. They both work for Allegro."
"Benedict hired them, I'm sure of it," Nolan said.
"Yeah." Bowen nodded. "We've also got to talk with him about the murder of Marcus DiAngelo and his wife. I got a call about that earlier today. Somehow Benedict knew about it when they had purposely kept it out of the press. They think there's a mole in WitSec who told Benedict or Allegro where to find him."
Someone knocked on the door. Bowen opened it to find a portly woman dressed in old-fashioned clothes. She smelled of lilacs and jasmine. She wasn't wearing a visitor tag that she should have gotten at the front desk. "How did you get in here?"
The woman smiled at them. "I have information about Sarah Kate DiAngelo." She spoke with a British accent. Not the Queen's English — it was more countrified than that. She sounded a little like Eddie's Welsh grandmother. "She's in the back room of Allegro Pizza. I'm afraid she has a broken arm. Her uncle convinced Allegro to send his thugs to grab her as payment for Benedict putting a hit on Marcus DiAngelo so he couldn't testify."
Bowen folded his arms across his chest. "How do you know this?"
"I know because I just talked with her. I promised that people would come soon to help her. The child is terrified. There's a man she trusts. He should be here any moment — his name is John Gage. You should take him with you when you go."
She moved toward the door, then turned around again. "Iorwerth Bowen, your grandmother sent a message for you. 'Dwi'n dy garu di, fachgen annwyl,' she said."
Eddie's jaw dropped. The woman stepped through the door. He followed her into the hall, but she was gone. It was a long hallway — she couldn't have simply vanished.
Eddie felt Mick's hand on his shoulder. "What was it she called you?"
"Iorwerth," Eddie said quietly. "My name in Welsh — only my grandmother ever called me that. She's been dead for thirty years."
"We should get over to Allegro's Pizza," Mick said. "See if she's right."
Eddie nodded. "I need to get a warrant first." The phone inside the observation room rang. Eddie went inside to answer it.
"Officer Bowen," said the receptionist, "there are five men here from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. They are looking for Sarah Kate DiAngelo. I know that's your case."
"Is one of those men John Gage?" said Eddie.
He heard the receptionist ask the question. Then her voice came over the line again. "Yes."
"Vera, did an old lady come by there? Old fashioned clothes, a bit portly. She had an English accent."
"No, Sir. I didn't see anyone like that."
"Hmm. Well, send the men to the conference room. I want to talk with them."